Elevate. A Campaign for Our Cathedral

We are now in the midst of a capital campaign to renovate and restore Holy Family Cathedral, the one hundred and four year old treasure of Downtown Tulsa and the Catholic community within the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Here you will find information related to the campaign. For more information please contact the Parish Office at 918-582-6247 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Campaign Publications

Read more about the history of Holy Family Cathedral and plans for Elevate. A Campaign for Our Cathedral by exploring campaign planning results, frequently asked questions, and the case statement sent out to parishioners by following the links below:

If you would like to make a donation to this campaign and have not already received content, please send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be in touch to assist with your support of this campaign and our wonderful cathedral.

Father Jovita's Campaign Bulletin Updates

Here is a complete update of Father Jovita's bulletin updates that are shared to update parishioners and friends of the cathedral to the status of the campaign.

For Masses on November 17th & 18th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

I would like to thank everyone who turned in a Commitment Card for our Elevate campaign at one of the Masses last weekend. Through the generosity of our supporters and the hard work of our campaign volunteers, our pledge total has reached $1.2 million! I am very grateful for the generosity of our supporters and excited that we are moving closer and closer to our goal of installing an elevator, renovating the lower level of the cathedral and providing some needed upkeep to the cathedral and the school.

With large campaigns such as the one we have undertaken, it is very difficult to contact all supporters. It takes a large volunteer effort from parishioners who have busy lives themselves. If you have not been contacted regarding the campaign and weren’t at Mass last weekend, please mail in the pledge card you received in the mail or stop by the parish offices to make your pledge. Commitment Cards will also be available in the pews again this weekend for those who need one.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on November 10th & 11th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

I am very pleased to report that our Elevate Capital Campaign total continues to increase, and we are past the $1,000,000 level. We are moving closer and closer to our goal. So how do we finish what we have started and get to our goal? The simple answer is that we need to have every parish family to participate in this campaign. As St. Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians:

“For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have.” - 2 Corinthians 8:12

Your gift or pledge in any amount will help us reach our goal. More importantly, your gift will help us renovate and preserve this historic cathedral benefitting generations to come.

Many of you will have the opportunity to complete your pledge decision at Mass this weekend. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of a pledge to this effort. If you have not made a pledge yet, you still have the opportunity to contribute to the success of our campaign. Call the parish office to make your pledge or complete a commitment card that will be in the pews of the cathedral next week also.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on November 3rd & 4th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

You’ve been hearing about our Elevate capital campaign. To date, we have already raised over $750,000 and we are very grateful for the support we have received. If you haven’t yet made your commitment yet, please take the next few days to prayerfully consider your family’s sacrificial gift. At next weekend’s Masses, we will be hosting Commitment Weekend where you will have an opportunity to complete and submit your commitment card if you have not already done so.

We ask that you CONSIDER, PRAY, and COMMIT. CONSIDER the case for this campaign and how important it is for the future of the cathedral. PRAY to the Holy Spirit for guidance. And come to Mass next weekend ready to COMMIT. Your support will allow the cathedral to install an elevator and complete repairs and upgrades to the cathedral that will benefit families for generations to come.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For masses on October 27th & 28th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

Our Elevate capital campaign continues to move along nicely. Our current total has passed $650,000. Even at that, a small percentage of our active parishioners and supporters have made their pledge to the campaign so far. Our goal is to have every parish family participate in this important effort. If everyone participates, we will reach our goals. When a volunteer calls you please respond to them and make your pledge to the campaign. We also encourage families who attend the cathedral but may not be registered parishioners to consider a pledge to the campaign. The pledge period will end in mid-November so please prayerfully consider your pledge and make your decision soon.

Holy Family Cathedral is a treasure of the parish and the Tulsa Diocese. We are the current stewards of this treasure. It is up to us to do what we can to, not only take care of it, but improve it for future generations. Your pledge will help us do that. Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge already.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on October 20th & 21st

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

I would like to thank everyone who has visited with a parish representative about our Elevate capital campaign. We are making wonderful progress! Over the past week pledges and gifts have continued to come in, bringing our total to over $550,000!

As you are aware, it is our goal to raise $3.5 million. In order to accomplish this, I ask that everyone prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift. Our gifts to this campaign are an act of faith. Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac and St. Paul reminds us that God Himself “did not spare his own Son.”

Are my gifts to the Lord – of my resources, of my time, of myself – also sacrificial? We are on this journey together as a cathedral community. Over the next month, I ask that you continue to be receptive to our campaign representatives to discuss the campaign, have your questions answered and make a pledge to the campaign.

Thank you for the sacrificial gifts that we have received and for the future gifts that will allow address our needs at this historic cathedral.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on October 13th & 14th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

“When you give to Him, give freely;

for the Lord, your God, will bless you

for this in all your works and undertakings.”

Book of Deuteronomy 15: 9-10

Our Elevate capital campaign is off to a great start, and I am pleased to report that we have over $400,000 pledged to the effort so far. If a volunteer calls to set up an appointment with you, I ask that you please take the time to meet with him or her to discuss our campaign and your potential participation. The volunteer will walk you through the process and answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

Because it is impossible to meet with every parishioner, some of you were mailed a pledge card with an appeal letter and case booklet. Please consider the suggested amount in the appeal letter, pray over it and return the pledge card with your commitment in the return envelope enclosed with that letter or in the offertory basket at mass.

This campaign is an important step in renewing this historic cathedral and making sure it is accessible to everyone. It is important that we, as a faith community, step forward in a sacrificial manner to make this campaign successful.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on October 6th & 7th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

We have had a few capital campaigns here at Holy Family Cathedral over the years. Capital campaigns give us the opportunity to accomplish things that we otherwise could not with the funding available through regular offertory giving. A campaign raised the money to build the cathedral and a campaign helped us renovate the cathedral almost a decade ago. The Elevate campaign will allow us to complete the renovation process started then, by completing needed improvements to the lower level and addressing the need for an elevator. Now is the time for us step up and support this campaign to ensure its success.

Sometimes when a person hears the amount they are being asked for, they instantly think “there is no way we can give that much”. Instead of looking at the total number, we recommend you break it down into multiple payments. Pledges are for a three-year period and should be in an amount that you consider a sacrifice.

Some examples:

$250 per month: $9,000 pledge

$200 per month: $7,2000 pledge

$100 per month: $3,600 pledge

$50 per month: $1,800 pledge

$25 per month: $900 pledge

Every gift is important! Every gift will help us get closer to our goal. Please pray about your pledge amount and be generous to this campaign.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on September 29th & 30th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

I would like to thank everyone who has agreed to meet with parish representatives to visit about the cathedral’s Elevate capital campaign. We are making wonderful progress so far!

As you are aware, it is our goal to raise a total of $3.5 million. In order to accomplish this, I ask that everyone prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift. Our gifts to this campaign are an act of faith. Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac and St. Paul reminds us that God Himself “did not spare his own Son.”

We need to ask ourselves, “Are my gifts to the Lord – of my resources, of my time, of myself – also sacrificial?” We are on this journey together as a cathedral community. Over the next month, I ask that you welcome the opportunity to meet with parish representatives to discuss the campaign, have your questions answered and make a pledge to the campaign.

Thank you for the sacrificial gifts that we have received and for the future gifts that will allow us to be the stewards of the cathedral that we need to be for future generations.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on September 22nd & 23rd

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

Our Elevate capital campaign was launched to all supporters of the cathedral last week and a mailing with details about the campaign should reach your mailbox any day now. In advance of the mailing, I want to express several thoughts regarding this campaign and what is being asked of our families:

Invitation not Expectation

Every family will be asked to consider a specific commitment to the campaign. We have gone through an exhaustive process to determine requests that are appropriate for each family. That said, in some cases our request may be too high. In some cases, it may be too low. It is not an expectation. It is an invitation – the starting point for your personal discernment. Ultimately, the cathedral is grateful for whatever gifts you can provide.

Reflect and Pray

In advance of the request, I ask that you spend some time reflecting on the cathedral, its future, and how you can help. Pray and ask the Lord for guidance. Give in a way that represents the blessings that you have received.

Shared Responsibility

This campaign should not be shouldered by one family, or a few families. It is the responsibility of the entire cathedral community to ensure this effort is a success. That means generosity and sacrifice – and not just monetarily. We need gifts of time, talent and prayer too.

This is an exciting time for the cathedral and we would love to have every family be a part of something that will mean so much to the future of Holy Family Cathedral!

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on September 15th & 16th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

In the next week or so you will be receiving the campaign case statement for our Elevate capital campaign here at the Holy Family Cathedral. I ask that you carefully review the cover letter and the contents of this document. Our hope is that it will help you better understand what it is we hope to accomplish with this campaign and why it is so important to the future of the cathedral.

I am confident that we will reach our campaign goal. I say this because we have a strong base of support and commitment to Holy Family Cathedral, which serves as the Mother Church to the Tulsa Diocese. In order to reach our goal, however, it will take the sacrifice of not just a few, but of everyone. In the near future, a parish representative will be contacting you to discuss the campaign, answer your questions and ask you to consider a pledge to the campaign. May I ask that you give serious consideration to making a commitment to our three-year effort?

As we continue to move forward, pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us in receiving God’s gifts gratefully, sharing them lovingly with others and returning them with increase to the Lord.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on September 8th & 9th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

In the coming weeks, you will receive details regarding our Elevate Campaign. Included will be instructions on ways to contribute. Between now and the end of November, everyone will be asked to consider a pledge or gift to the campaign. Our volunteers will work to personally visit many of you – please be receptive to their efforts. You will have three years to complete your pledge and you can set it up to be paid in a manner that is convenient for you. All pledges to the campaign are tax deductible as permitted by the tax code.

A pledge is not legally binding, but it is a gift which you consider to be meaningful. We ask that you do your best to fulfill your pledge and advise the parish office of any financial changes that will impact your commitment. All pledges will be kept confidential within the parish business office.

We are still in need of volunteers for the campaign. Every volunteer that agrees to help increases our chances of conducting a successful campaign. If you can help, please call the parish office at (918) 582-6247 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I would like to thank everyone who has already agreed to give of their time for this important campaign.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on September 1st & 2nd

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

We are nearing the launch of our Elevate Capital Campaign to the entire parish. The mailing to all parishioners will be going out in a few weeks. We have been working hard preparing the materials for the campaign, finalizing the campaign goals and recruiting volunteers to help with the project.

Shortly after Labor Day we will begin training volunteers who have agreed to help with the campaign. An orientation meeting for volunteers will be on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. If you are considering volunteering for the campaign, we encourage you to join us and find out more about this opportunity.

We are still in need of volunteers for the campaign. Every volunteer that agrees to help increases our chances of conducting a successful campaign. If you can help, please call the parish office at (918) 582-6247 or email Kathleen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and plan to join us on Tuesday evening.

I would like to thank everyone who has already agreed to give of their time for this important campaign.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on August 25th & 26th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

We are busy with the preparation phase of our campaign and I am very grateful to the many parishioners who have volunteered to help with this important effort. We have already had about 25 individuals/couples join the campaign team.

The Campaign Cabinet is currently recruiting volunteers to help with the solicitation phase of the campaign. If you are called to help, please say yes to this important effort.

In addition to putting together a campaign team, we are currently working on the materials that will be used to inform the parish about the campaign. One of these pieces, a Frequently Asked Questions document, was mailed recently. I urge you to review this document carefully as it addresses a number of questions that have come up about the campaign. It is our goal to make sure that everyone affiliated with the cathedral is well informed about this campaign and how important it is to the future of the cathedral.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For Masses on August 18th & 19th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

The success of a capital campaign depends greatly on the quality of its leadership team. I am very excited about the outstanding group of parishioners who have agreed to make up our campaign leadership team and I am grateful to them for agreeing to serve in this capacity.

The Campaign General Chairs are:

Scott and Maureen Petty

Philip and Gail Reedy

Robert and Jeanne Sullivan

In addition to these leaders, we have assembled an outstanding group of individuals and couples to serve as members of the Campaign Cabinet. They are currently recruiting additional campaign volunteers to help with the effort. Please give prayerful consideration to serving as a volunteer if you are asked. Thank you to everyone who has agreed to give of their time for this important effort.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For the Masses on August 11th & 12th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Cathedral,

The first phase of our parish capital campaign is off to a terrific start. Since our initial announcement, we have selected a theme and a campaign prayer, begun recruiting the campaign’s leadership and started work on all of the campaign materials.

I invite you to pray our campaign prayer to help direct us in this important project.

Prayer for the “Elevate” Campaign

Lord Jesus, you became part of the human family

When you took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary

And shared family life with her and St. Joseph.

We thank you for your presence in our parish family.

Guide us as once you guided the first Holy Family

In the spiritual and structural restoration of our parish.

May we respond with faith and trust in you.

Send your spirit to enkindle our hearts

And complete your work in us. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For the Masses on August 4th & 5th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Holy Family Cathedral,

Plans are underway in preparation for our capital campaign here at Holy Family Cathedral. We recently published information in the bulletin that outlined the reasons for this campaign and the strong support for it from parishioners who participated in the planning study. The Steier Group has been hired to manage the campaign for us and we have been working with them the past several weeks preparing for its launch.

I am pleased to announce that the theme of the campaign is “Elevate. A Campaign for Our Cathedral.” One of the definitions of elevate is, “to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level.” This captures very succinctly what we are challenged to do every day here at Holy Family Cathedral, raise ourselves to a higher spiritual level. We hope to use this campaign as another way to help us do that.

Over the next few weeks you will be getting more information about the campaign and details about our proposed projects. As we make our preparations for this campaign, please pray with me for its success.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jovita

For the Masses on June 2nd & 3rd

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Holy Family Cathedral,

I would like to thank everyone who has participated in the planning study for the cathedral. The response has been strong, but we are still looking for input from everyone in our community. Completing the survey will take just a few minutes.

The deadline to return your completed survey is June 8 You may return your survey to the office or place it in the offertory basket at any of the Masses.

You may also complete the survey online by going to steiergroup.com/survey, clicking on The Cathedral of the Holy Family and entering the password: cathedral.

Again, thank you for your feedback and for participating in this important effort.

Gratefully,

Very Rev. Jovita C. Okonkwo

Rector

For the Masses on May 26th & 27th

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Holy Family Cathedral,

You may be aware that we are conducting a comprehensive survey of the cathedral. The purpose of the survey is to help gauge support for the following projects that are being considered:

Renovation of the cathedral lower level and the installation of an elevator

Tuckpointing, washing and sealing of leaky areas on the exterior of the cathedral

Construction of a multi-use activity center

I would like to thank everyone who has already participated in the study. Your thoughts are extremely valuable to us during this planning process. I encourage everyone that has not responded to do so. Your input will help us make an informed decision regarding our plans for Holy Family Cathedral.

We hope to have all surveys completed by June 8. You may return your survey to the office or place it in the offertory basket at any of the Masses.

You may also complete the survey online by going to steiergroup.com/survey, clicking on The Cathedral of the Holy Family and entering the password: cathedral.